This article is part of our DraftKings CFL DFS Picks series.
CFL DFS Picks and Cheat Sheet for Week 11 on DraftKings
We've got an intriguing Week 11 on tap in the CFL, as the slate features the return of two of the league's more prominent signal-callers of the last few seasons, Jeremiah Masoli and Nathan Rourke. There are also multiple ascendant players that are still carrying salaries that belie their upside, so there are no shortage of options and decisions to make this week.
Quarterback Plays for CFL Week 11
Tre Ford ($9,900) or McLeod Bethel-Thompson ($8,000), EDM at HAM: Ford's status for Week 11 remains murky as of Wednesday night, as the mobile signal-caller was knocked out of Edmonton's win over B.C. on Sunday in the first half with a chest injury. Assuming he suits up, he's a very appealing value piece at his salary considering he eclipsed 20 DK points in both Weeks 8 and 9. However, if Bethel-Thompson draws the spot start in his stead, he has plenty of upside at his even more reasonable salary, especially considering he produced a solid 11.8 DK points in just over a half of work in Week 10 and eclipsed 20 DK points on three occasions during his starting tenure earlier this season. The Tiger-Cats make for good targets for whoever is under center, considering Hamilton is allowing 284.4 passing yards per game, a CFL-high 19 touchdown passes and the second-highest opponent passer efficiency rating (108.5).
Davis Alexander, MTL at SSK ($8,400): Alexander appears set for another start in place of Cody Fajardo (hamstring), who's technically available but likely to sit out at least one more game. One of the reasons there's no rush to bring Fajardo back is the excellent play of Alexander, who just posted 20.6 DK points against the Tiger-Cats in Week 10 on the strength of a 247-yard, two-touchdown performance. That effort was preceded by tallies of 16.4 and 14.1 DK points in the first two games he spent time under center in. The opposing Roughriders line up as attractive targets in Week 11, as Saskatchewan is allowing a CFL-high 306.2 passing yards per game and has conceded a CFL-high 227 completions as well. Moreover, the Riders have yielded a league-high 15 completions of 30+ yards, while Alexander has impressively completed 71.4 percent of his 14 attempts of 20+ yards in depth.
Jeremiah Masoli, OTT at CGY ($6,800): The two alternate options listed directly below in the "Also Consider" section are safer options than Masoli, but I'm looking at the latter as a very intriguing value play for tournaments that should carry a low rostering rate. Masoli, who's already confirmed as the Week 11 starter for the Redblacks with Dru Brown (foot) sidelined, will be playing in only his sixth game since the start of the 2022 season due to multiple injuries, the most recent a torn Achilles that he suffered in Week 4 of the 2023 campaign. Masoli has been at practice since the days leading up to a Week 8 matchup against the Stampeders, and he's been taking first-team reps this week. Calgary is the opponent once again this week, and the Stamps check in allowing a 70.2 percent completion rate and 13 touchdown passes overall in nine games.
ALSO CONSIDER: Zach Collaros, WPG at B.C. ($8,800); Nathan Rourke, B.C. vs WPG ($8,500)
Running Back Plays for CFL Week 11
James Butler, HAM vs EDM ($10,500): Butler requires the heftiest investment of any running back, but the versatile back comes in with five consecutive double-digit DK-point tallies and a well-rounded role that's helped afford him 28 receptions over that same span. Butler already produced 14.7 DK points against this same Elks team in Week 8 as well, and Edmonton has surrendered 100 rushing yards per game at 4.8 yards per carry, along with 296.1 passing yards per contest through the air. Butler's touch count should once again be in the teens, giving him a safe floor and plenty of upside.
Javon Leake, EDM at HAM ($6,300): Leake's salary remains relatively stagnant considering his performances since he took over the starting role. The explosive second-year back has delivered 46.1 and 23.4 DK points in that pair of assignments, scoring four rushing touchdowns along the way. Leake logged a robust 25 total touches in Week 10 against the Lions as well, so his ability to handle a true workhorse role has been corroborated. The Ti-Cats have been respectable against the run – they've allowed 97.1 rushing yards per game – but they've done so at an elevated 5.2 yards per carry, the league's third-highest figure. With his upside, Leake could well over deliver on his very modest salary yet again.
ALSO CONSIDER: William Stanback, B.C. vs. WPG ($8,200)
Wide Receiver/Slotback Plays for CFL Week 11
Keon Hatcher, B.C. vs. WPG ($8,800): In Week 10, Hatcher took a big step forward in his second game back from last November's torn Achilles, recording four catches for 62 yards on his way to 10.2 DK points. That was nearly double the 5.8 he'd mustered in his Week 9 season debut, and Hatcher could now be playing at least part of Week 11 with Rourke, who's been with the Lions since being waived by the NFL's Falcons on Monday and is expected to see some snaps. The Blue Bombers come in with impressive overall numbers against the pass, but they've also yielded the third-most completions of 30+ yards (13), a figure Hatcher has the talent to exploit.
Shemar Bridges, HAM vs. EDM ($7,500): Bridges has been providing strong returns on his reasonable salaries all season, averaging 16.1 DK points per contest on his way to a 56-629-3 line for the campaign. Bridges encouragingly displayed strong rapport with fill-in quarterback Taylor Powell in Week 10, which is particularly relevant considering Powell has now been named the Week 11 starter over Bo Levi Mitchell. The Elks are surrendering 296.1 passing yards per game, and they've also conceded 17 touchdown passes and 13 completions of 30+ yards, rendering Bridges, who's seen at least six targets in eight of nine games, an excellent mid-salary option.
Ontaria Wilson, WPG at B.C. ($6,100): Wilson is one of those aforementioned players with a mismatched salary, as the CFL rookie has scored 21.2 to 42.1 DK points in three of his last four games. The FSU product boasts a 37-575-2 line over nine contests, and he's averaging just under seven targets per game from experienced signal-caller Zach Collaros. The Lions check in conceding 289.8 passing yards per game and a league-high 74.2 percent completion rate, making Wilson all the more appealing than he already would be.
Tevin Jones, EDM at HAM ($3,300): Jones' salary is completely inexplicable after the experienced receiver went off for back-to-back 123-yard efforts in his first two games of the season, leading to tallies of 30.3 and 21.3 DK points. The veteran's salary has actually taken a $400 tumble from last week, and he's already demonstrated strong chemistry with both Ford and Bethel-Thompson. That, along with his minuscule salary, makes the Elks' uncertain QB situation a non-factor in Jones' case, and the matchup against the Tiger-Cats' suspect pass defense is just the proverbial icing on the cake.
ALSO CONSIDER: Charleston Rambo, MTL at SSK ($5,600)
Team Defense Plays for CFL Week 11
Saskatchewan Roughriders ($3,600) vs. Montreal Alouettes: The Roughriders are carrying the second-lowest salary of any defense this week, and they're facing the defending champion Alouettes. However, Saskatchewan's ability to pressure the quarterback has helped keep its defense as one of the steadiest for DFS purposes this season, as the Riders are averaging 9.6 DK points per game and have scored at least eight DK points on six occasions. Saskatchewan has a league-high 22 sacks and 14 interceptions, along with eight fumble recoveries and three defensive touchdowns. With the Riders' ability to wreak some havoc, another solid return on a very reasonable salary could help you roster plenty of high-end talent elsewhere.
CFL DFS Cheat Sheet for Week 11
Davis Alexander, QB
Javon Leake, RB
Tevin Jones, WR
Total salary expenditure: $18K
This trio may well be the most discounted I've ever recommended, but Leake and Jones are both sporting salaries that aren't commensurate to the type of returns they can provide. Both players have favorable matchups on paper, and Alexander has been a steady presence under center for the Alouettes and is also facing a defense that funnels plenty of action toward the air.
